March 11

A Key West street and Naval Radio Towers

1909 – Upton Sinclair, author of “The Jungle,” was ill in the Louise Maloney Hospital. He was a passenger on the Mallory steamship Alamo, from Galveston to New York, when he was taken ill. After a few days of rest, he was released and sailed for New York.

1925 – A daily silent period for the naval radio station at Key West was authorized by Washington. The quiet time, intended to end interference with reception of private radios in the city, would be from 8 to 10 o’clock each evening.

1928 – The Jenner Brothers company was awarded a $167,000 contract to build a stretch of the Oversea Highway through the Key Vacas group of islands. The 12-mile stretch would link Key Vaca, Crawl Key, and Grassy Key with fills instead of bridges.

1948 – The Secretary of Defense and the chiefs of the three military services arrived in Key West and stayed at the Little White House.

1955 – The new Southernmost Motel on Duval and South streets had 28 of its planned 50 units open with the rest near completion. The motel owned by Ben and Aaron Mazur had a 25 by 50-foot swimming pool.

Information compiled by Dr. Corey Malcom, Lead Historian, Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.

Image: A Key West street and Naval Radio Towers. The DeWolfe and Wood Collection. Monroe County Public Library, Florida Keys History Center.